Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores is an American chain of convenience stores. The company operates more than 400 locations in 41 states. It is privately owned and is headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The stores offer a wide variety of products and services. Their locations are designed to make traveling easier and more enjoyable. Customers can also get all of their essential needs at Love’s. It also has a large drive-through, where customers can get a delicious meal.
The company’s revenues reached nearly $2 billion in 2003. The family had about 3,500 employees and operated 150 Travel Stops and Country Stores. In the fall of 2003, Love’s operations were separated into two separate units. The founder donated money to Oklahoma City University to help students with entrepreneurial skills. Although he didn’t attend college, Tom Love was active in local community groups. He was also a member of the Oklahoma Business Roundtable. In 2005, he opened the first combined convenience store and gas station in Guymon, Oklahoma. He spent $300,000 to open the Country Stores.
In the early 1970s, the Love family leased its first filling station in Watonga, Oklahoma. They quickly expanded to other small towns. Musket Corp., which operated a chain of stations across the nation, grew to 40 locations in only a few years. As the Arab oil embargo raged through the world, the Loves’ business stood out. By keeping their gas pumps open 24 hours a day, they managed to gain loyalty among drivers. In Guymon, they opened the first combination gas station/convenience store in the country. These two locations were called Country Stores and cost $300,000.
As the Loves’ business continued to grow, their revenues approached $2 billion in 2003. The company had more than 150 Travel Stops and Country Stores, and their total number of locations grew from a few to more than 40. In 2002, the family made a gift to the University to build an Entrepreneurship Center. Even though Tom did not finish college, he was an advocate for Oklahoma’s business. He was active in several civic groups and was a member of the Oklahoma Business Roundtable. During the 2003 economic recession, he hung a promotional billboard for the state’s tourism industry on one of his trucks.
In 2002, the Loves opened the first Travel Stop and Country Store in Guymon, Oklahoma. He leased another station in several nearby small towns. Within a few years, the company expanded to 40 stations. The family gave the money to help the school start the Entrepreneurship Center. In 2004, the Loves decided to open the first combination gas station and convenience store in Guymon, Oklahoma. It cost around $300,000. In 2003, they opened the Country Stores in the same building.
Today, Love’s has almost three hundred locations across the country. In 1973, it was valued at more than $2 billion. The company has over 3,500 employees and operates 150 Travel Stops and Country Stores. As a result, it has become one of the largest employers in Oklahoma. Its success has been due to the innovation of its founders. In the early years, Love’s was a regional powerhouse with strong local roots.
